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EXISTING INDUSTRY & WORKFORCE
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMPANIES RECOGNIZED AT RBTC TECHNITE
In August, the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC) hosted the 2021 TechNite, an annual awards banquet celebrating the innovative technology companies in the Roanoke and Blacksburg area.
Each year, the Department sponsors one of the many awards presented to local companies at the TechNite event. This year, the Department sponsored the Company of the Year award, recognizing a business that demonstrates excellence and a commitment to advancing the technology community in our region, and was presented to FoxGuard Solutions (Christiansburg).
Image Credit: RBTC
Several other Montgomery County businesses and industry leaders were also recognized at TechNite. Entrepreneur of the Year went to Sonu Singh, President and CEO of 1901 Group (Blacksburg), and the Innovator of the Year award was presented to Daniel Smith and Matt Welborn of Entos, Inc. (Blacksburg). Amy Ankrum, President and CEO of Qualtrax, Inc. (Blacksburg) prior to its acquisition by Ideagen, PLC, was co-recipient of the Regional Leadership Award, which recognizes those who lead by example in the local technology community. Doug Juanerena was also inducted into the RBTC Hall of Fame for his contributions to the technology field in our region and his successful mentorship of three RAMP technology startups.
Patrick Patterson accepts the “Company of the Year” award for FoxGuard Solutions at TechNite.
This year’s TechNite event also took place in partnership with the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center’s “Game Changer Week,” which featured a variety of virtual and in-person events celebrating the region’s unique entrepreneurial ecosystem.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY HOSTS SENATOR TIM KAINE
In September, the Department hosted a breakfast meeting for Senator Tim Kaine and the New River/ Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board at the Inn at Virginia Tech.
During the event, Senator Kaine was able to speak directly with business owners and workforce development leaders from the region about obstacles they are facing in seeking and retaining employees. The challenges discussed ranged from the need for quality, affordable child care for employees; access to high-speed broadband service; and more attention for career and technical education to show students that there are great jobs right in their backyard.
EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 2021
The Department sponsored several events in 2021 for business outreach and to support the initiatives of its many partners and allies: • Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament • AUVSI Ridge and Valley Chapter 4th Annual Unmanned Systems Chapter Symposium • Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council TechNite Awards Banquet • Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet • New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board Breakfast with Senator Tim Kaine
COUNTY BROADBAND INITIATIVES
Over the past year, Montgomery County has made significant progress in carrying out the Board of Supervisors’ goal of ensuring all citizens have access to adequate broadband service. In 2021, the County was awarded over $28 million in broadband funding through two separate Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grants administered through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
VATI 2021
In 2020, Montgomery County and its official broadband partner, GigaBeam Networks, LLC., submitted an application for the 2021 round of VATI grant funding to connect unserved areas of Shawsville, Elliston, Lafayette, and Alleghany Springs. In March 2021, the County was awarded $919,569 in VATI funding, and when paired with matching funds from both Montgomery County and GigaBeam, the project will total $1.4 million. The project is expected to bring fiber broadband to 1,292 unserved homes and businesses.
VATI 2022
For the 2022 round of VATI funding, Montgomery County was even more ambitious, submitting a broadband project in partnership with Appalachian Power Company and GigaBeam that would cover almost the entire county.
In December 2021, Montgomery County was awarded $27.6 million in VATI grant funding as part of a larger multi-jurisdictional application with Bland County and Pulaski County. Along with $6 million of American Rescue Plan funds allocated by Montgomery County and another $16.4 million from Appalachian Power and GigaBeam, the total amount of funding for Montgomery County’s portion is $50 million. The ultimate goal is to bring much-needed broadband service to a proposed 8,822 homes and businesses by leveraging Appalachian Power’s fiber network.
“We, as a government entity, understand that the only way to achieve [our] goal is to partner with private companies like GigaBeam and Appalachian Power Company,” Montgomery County Administrator Craig Meadows said in a press release. “Together, we applied for and were awarded one of the largest VATI grants in the southwest region of Virginia to date. This significant grant has created a path for citizens and businesses throughout Montgomery County to have access to high speed internet by the end of 2023.”
CATAWBA ROAD PROJECT COMPLETED USING CARES ACT FUNDING
In January 2021, a smaller scale broadband project was completed on Catawba Road in Blacksburg. Montgomery County partnered with Wide Open Networks for the project using a $132,000 grant awarded to the County by the Virginia Broadband Department from CARES Act funding in late 2020.
Construction on the project began in December 2020, and by mid-January of 2021, 14 previously unserved homes along Catawba Road were able to access broadband service. The project ultimately exceeded the $132,000 grant by about $33,000, but because connecting Catawba Road established the groundwork needed for future extensions, Wide Open Networks absorbed the additional expenses for the project.
Passenger rail service is set to return to Montgomery County in 2025 for the first time since 1979.
Image Credit: Roanoke Times
REAL ESTATE & INFRASTRUCTURE
After nearly a decade of collaborative involvement from municipalities, legislators, universities, and businesses in the region, passenger rail is officially set to return to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979. At an event in Christiansburg in May 2021, Governor Ralph Northam announced an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway as part of the $257.2 million Western Rail Initiative. The state will acquire just under 29 miles of right of way and track on the Virginian Line, extending the existing Amtrak service in Roanoke to the New River Valley, as well as adding a second train from Roanoke to Washington, D.C., beginning in 2022. The new NRV station will be located in Montgomery County and is estimated to see 80,000 new riders in its first year, which is projected for 2025. “Bringing passenger rail service back to the New River Valley will fuel tourism, drive economic growth, and create new opportunities for the region’s 180,000 residents and 40,000 college students,” Northam said in a press release. Legislation was also passed in 2021 authorizing the creation of the New River Valley Passenger Rail Authority, which will have representatives from the local municipalities and other regional partners who will share in the cost of operating the new station. As of the end of 2021, feasibility studies and public feedback surveys are being conducted for four possible locations in the Uptown Christiansburg area.
Governor Northam announces the return of NRV rail service at an event in Christiansburg.
Image Credit: Roanoke Times
TWO PARK PROJECTS UNDERWAY IN CHRISTIANSBURG
In 2021, two separate park projects got underway in Christiansburg, both with the goal of improving quality of life for residents and driving more visitors to the area.
The Great Little Park on Main
Seeking to revitalize an underused area downtown and create an accessible, family-friendly space, Downtown Christiansburg, Inc., is developing a pocket park alongside Great Road on Main, an event and meeting venue in the former Main Street Baptist Church. The pocket park project is being funded through a combination of grants and both individual and corporate donations, and will be constructed in phases as additional funding is secured. The park will feature outdoor seating and professional landscaping, creating a natural space for the public to enjoy in the heart of downtown Christiansburg.
Town of Christiansburg’s Signature Park
A massive undertaking several years in the making, the Town of Christiansburg finally broke ground on its $18 million Signature Park, located on Peppers Ferry Road on 63 acres of former farmland. The property will feature four full-sized rectangular athletic fields, two separate parks for small and large dogs, two pavilion spaces, a splash pad, an inclusively-designed playground accessible to children of all abilities, and over a mile of paved walking trails. The park is expected to be a significant economic and tourism driver for Christiansburg, especially with its close proximity to the Huckleberry Trail, retail, and restaurants.
A rendering of the Great Road on Main pocket park planned for downtown Christiansburg.
Town officials broke ground on Christiansburg’s Signature Park project in May 2021.
HOUSING PROJECTS TAKING SHAPE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
• The Vue Apartments (Blacksburg) - Set to open in summer 2022, the Vue is located next to the Virginia
Tech Corporate Research Center and will offer one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. Residents will also enjoy a yoga lawn, swimming pool, and rooftop terrace. • Cedar Pointe Apartments (Blacksburg) - Operated by CMB Leasing, Cedar Pointe is located just off
South Main Street and completed construction in the spring of 2021. With a mix of studio and twobedroom apartments, Cedar Pointe is a student housing partner of Virginia Tech. • Midtown (Blacksburg) - Redevelopment of the former Blacksburg Middle School site downtown to commercial and residential use is underway, and will offer multiple housing options when complete, including townhomes, condominiums, and apartments. • Marketplace (Christiansburg) - In addition to new retail and dining, the Marketplace redevelopers plan to add up to 350 apartments, including units reserved for residents 55 years or older. • Village of Prices Fork (Blacksburg) - Following rezoning approval by the Board of Supervisors in 2020, two significant housing projects are underway along Prices Fork Road. The Westhill subdivision will feature townhomes and single-family detached houses, and The Preserve at Walnut Springs is expected to have detached single-family homes of various sizes, duplexes, townhomes, and apartments.
